Aloe plant name ‘AMIAL1823’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Gonialoe variegata  cultivar named ‘AMIAL1823’ which is characterized by a short and compact plant size, thick succulent foliage covered with white subtuberculate spots arranged in irregular transverse rows and white, finely dentate leaf margins. The new variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Gonialoe variegata.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Gonialoe disclosed hereinhas been given the variety denomination ‘AMIAL1823’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMIAL1823’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plantmutation of the species Gonialoe (not a named variety or cultivar). Inthe summer of 2013 the inventor discovered the mutation at a commercialgreenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands, growing amongst a crop ofthe species Gonialoe variegata. The mutation was noted for its compactsize and strong foliage and was subsequently isolated for furtherevaluation in order to confirm the distinctness and stability of thecharacteristics first observed. Upon confirmation of distinctness andstability, ‘AMIAL1823’ was selected for commercialization in the autumnof 2013.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar‘AMIAL1823’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in thesummer of 2014 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard,the Netherlands. The claimed plant has since been asexually propagatedby way of meristematic tissue culture propagation. Through sixsubsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have provento be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMIAL1823’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘AMIAL1823’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘AMIAL1823’ as a new and distinct Gonialoe variegatecultivar:

-   -   1. ‘AMIAL1823’ exhibits a compact plant size with three-ranked        foliage and a broad upright profile; and    -   2. ‘AMIAL1823’ exhibits strong, thick foliage; and    -   3. ‘AMIAL1823’ exhibits dark green foliage that is densely        covered with prominent white subtuberculate spots on both the        adaxial and abaxial surfaces which are arranged in irregular        transverse rows; and    -   4. ‘AMIAL1823’ exhibits finely dentate foliage margins which are        thinly margined white.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘AMIAL1823’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. This plant is approximately 14 months old, shown planted ina 10 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliagearrangement of ‘AMIAL1823’.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the mature foliage‘AMIAL1823’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in August of 2018describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 14 months old‘AMIAL1823’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercialgreenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced usingconventional greenhouse production protocols for Gonialoe whichconsisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, andchemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug, Botrytisand Fusarium as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50percent shade and no photoperiodic treatments or artificial light wasgiven to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIAL1823’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMIAL1823’ and a comparison with the parentand closest known comparator, Gonialoe variegata, is provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with three-ranked foliage.        -   Plant shape.—Broad upright.        -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—16.4 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 18.7 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Low to moderate.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderate.        -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings and meristematic tissue            culture. Time to initiate rooting — Approximately 25 days at            18 degrees Celsius. Crop time — Approximately 52 weeks to            produce a marketable plant in a 10 cm container.        -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither            resistance nor susceptibility to typical Gonialoe variegata            pests and diseases has been observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low            tolerance to rain; high tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes;            no main branches or lateral branches present.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Three-ranked.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 12 leaves.        -   Shape.—Thick, succulent leaves; ovate in shape.        -   Dimensions.—12.1 cm long, 5.2 cm wide, and 1.0 cm thick, on            average.        -   Aspect.—Moderately carinate with the distal portion            moderately curved downward.        -   Attitude.—Upward and outward at an approximate angle of 45            degrees to horizontal.        -   Apex.—Apiculate with a soft mucronulate tip.        -   Base.—Broad cuneate.        -   Margin.—Finely dentate; teeth have an average length of 0.5            mm and are colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192D.            Margins are not undulated or lobed.        -   Texture, adaxial surface.—Glabrous and densely covered with            elliptical to oblong subtuberculate spots arranged in            irregular transverse rows across the leaf surface.        -   Texture, abaxial surface.—Glabrous and densely covered with            elliptical to oblong subtuberculate spots arranged in            irregular transverse rows across the leaf surface. The            midrib is finely dentate; teeth are approximately 0.5 mm            long and are colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 192D.        -   Luster, adaxial surface.—Very slightly glossy.        -   Luster, abaxial surface.—Matte.        -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to            RHS NN137A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base,            nearest to a combination of RHS 144A and 144B. Juvenile            foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to in between green and            yellow-green, RHS NN137A and 147A, and fading to            yellow-green towards the base, nearest to a combination of            RHS 144A and 144B. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest            to in between green and yellow-green, RHS NN137B and 147A;            suffused with greyed-green towards the base, nearest to RHS            191C. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to in            between green and yellow-green, RHS 139A and 147A; fading to            a mixture of green and yellow-green towards the base,            nearest to RHS 143C and 144A.        -   Venation.—No venation is visible.        -   Subtuberculate spots, adaxial surface.—Shape — Elliptic.            Dimensions — 5.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide. Texture — Smooth            and glabrous. Color, juvenile foliage — Greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 192C. Color, mature foliage — Greyed-green,            nearest to in between RHS 191C and 191D.        -   Subtuberculate spots, abaxial surface.—Shape — Elliptic.            Dimensions — 5.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide. Texture — Smooth            and glabrous. Color, juvenile foliage — Greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 192C. Color, mature foliage — Greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 192C.        -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIAL1823’ differ from the parent, Gonialoevariegata, in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘AMIAL1823’ Gonialoe variegata Plant height.Shorter than the parent. Taller than AMIAL1823’. Leaf apex. Acute.Apiculate with a soft mucronulate tip. Leaf strength. Stronger than theparent. Weaker than ‘AMIAL1823’.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIAL1823’ differ from the commercialvariety, Aloe aristata x Haworthia limifolia ‘AMIAL1601’ (U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/932,615) in the following characteristicsdescribed in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘AMIAL1823’ ‘AMIAL1601’ Foliage thickness.Thicker than Thinner than ‘AMIAL1601’. ‘AMIAL1823’. Foliage subtuberLarger than those of Smaller than those of culate spots. ‘AMIAL1601’ andshaped ‘AMIAL1823’ and elliptical to oblong. orbicular-shaped. Foliagemargins. Finely dentate with Finely dentate with smaller teeth largerteeth than those of than those of ‘AMIAL1601’. ‘AMIAL1823’. Generalcoloration Darker shade of green. Lighter shade of green. of the maturefoliage.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Gonialoevariegata plant named ‘AMIAL1823’, substantially as described andillustrated herein.